Vibration damper for crank shafts



rifl 21,, 1936. H. CZEDWARDSV 2,033,027

VIBRATION DAMPER FOR CRANKSHAFTS' Filed Nov, 10, 1931 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 I v H w I UNITED STATES c TEN- oFHcE Packard Motor Car Compan D t t,'- a rporation of Michigan Application November 10, 1931," Serial No. 574,210

15 Claims. (Cl. 74-604) L Y V This invention relates to means for damping Figure 2 is a sectlonal view on the line 2--2 of vibrations in rotating bodies and is particularly Figurel; and concerned with the damping of torsional vibra- Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of tions in engine crankshafts, such as are induced Figure 2. by the periodic impulses applied to the shaft to It wil1;.be understood that the arrangement rotate the same, I shown in the drawing is intended as illustrative It is an object of the invention to provide a f the pr ipl s d r y h p t nv nvibration damper which can be cheaply manufaction and that various changes and alterations in tured and readily attached to a shaft of ordinary s Construction y be made Without p construction. ing from thespirit of the invention. Thus, while 10 Many of the vibration dampers heretofore con- Various 601111301181 Parts Of t e da per and their structed employ a. freely movable inertia, memrelationship are set fOIth in detail herein to facilber and means for frictionally resisting relative itate an understanding 0f t ve ion, n0 1im- V movement between the inertia member and the itation ihithe Scope of the invention is thereby l5 shaft to absorb the energy of vibrations producintended? ing such relative movement. The present inven- Referring HOW to vthe aw t Will be obtion contemplates the provision of an elastic or Served that the damper has been Shown pflexible inertia means of such nature that fiexplied to an internal Combustion ne o th ing thereof in response to shaft vibration results Well-known t -cy nder radial type having a in the development of friction internally of the crank case H on which are mounted a hum- 20 inertia, me ber, nd th th necessity of Providber of radially dispose-d cylinders, one of which ing a separate friction means for resisting relais indicated In the embodimeht'illustive movement of the inertia member and the tra'tedrthe' crankshaft i of the built-up type shaft i v id d V havingwa forwardly extending portion l3 and It; i feature of t invention that the inertia an aligned rearwardly extending portion [4, each 25 member is constituted by a leaf spring or a leaf of these porticns being journaled in Suitable spring assembly one portion thereof being bearings such as shown at [6 and I! in the crank cured tothe shaft and another portion being free case The forwardly extending portion of to vibrate and thus absorb the energy of the shaft the crankshaft includes an integr a1 crank arm vib ti l9xwith a crank pin 20 thereon. The rearward- 30 It is a more specific object of the invention to extendingp portion '4 the crankshaft is provide a device comprising a leaf spring assemprovided. i integral crank arm 22 bly and means for securing the central portion which 13 580mm at one end 130' Crank pin 29 of the assembly rigidly to an arm on the shaft in any su1table manner. For instance, the arm whereby the free ends of the spring assembly may 22 may be split adjacent the end to embrace the 35 partake of movement with respect to the shaft, pin and damped by means of bolt 24 the the energy of such movement beingabsorbed by arms and 22 and the pin 20 forming the friction between the respective leaves of the ascrank of the shaft semb1y Journaled on-the crank pin 20 is the hub por- A further object of the invention is the Dromm 25 master cmnecfing md vision of means for neutralizing centrifugal force end of i is (ionnected to a piston 29 9 one and torsional vibration in a crankshaft compris-" of e engmeupyhnders the plstons ing a counter-weighting arm rigid with the shaft 3 3223 2;gg g gg gg g fif g gg 32 4 and an inertia member consistmg of aleaf spring as 30, link pins v pivotany mounted the assembly rigidly secured to the arm and having hub portion 26' of the connecting rod 21 and ar- P f thereof r to flex response to shaft ranged in circular spaced relation therein around Vlbratwnsthe crank pin 20in the well-known manner so- FurFher obleqts and features the Invention that the. pressures of all the pistons 29 are comwill be'apparent from the description municated to and drive the crankshaft l3, I4. so taken i co t w t accompanying The unbalanced rotating masses of the crankdrawing, in which: shaft system, which include the crank, the mas- Figure 1 is alongitudinal section through aporter rod and its hub, and the link rods and assotion of an internal combustion engine, embodyciated parts, are adapted to be counterbalanced ing principles of the invention; by suitable counter-Weights which preferably 55 assembly 31 which is secured to one end of the counterbalancing arm 35 by means of a bolt 39 threaded in a recess 40 in the. end of the arm. It will be understood that as many of these inertia members may be applied to any given crankshaft as are required, it being advisable the crankshaft shown herein to provide one of these inertia members on each of the counterbalancing arms 35.

In order to firmly secure the leaf spring assembl-y in. position on the arm, a. spring bracket 42 is provided, this bracket having a curved spring supporting portion normally engaging the outer leaf of the spring assembly and being U- shapedv in cross section so. that. the. flanged portions. 43. forming each side. thereof! may fit over the arm 35 and engage. the lateral surfaces of the arm- The; bracket is preferably secured in position on the arm by a plurality of rivets. 45.

In assembling the device to the arm. 35, the

bolts 39 are passed through. the bracket 40, the spring assembly 31, and; threaded into the recess 40 in the arm, and the parts are maintained clamped in. this position while therivets 45 are applied. It will be noted that the spring. assembly 31; iscurved so; that the free ends thereof extend. towardthe crankshaft axis and that clearance is provided: between the arm andzthese free ends. so; that thelatter-may movewith re,- spect to thebracket and the shaft.

In the operation of the device; the. spring as sembly normally occupies the positionshown in full lines in- Figure 2 of the drawing,- but, owing to the vibrations induced. in the shaft, the in.-

ertia of the free; ends, of the spring; assembly. causes them to flex, alternately into; the positions.

shownindotted lines. in that, figure; The. spring assembly develops considerable internal. friction by reason. of this flexure, the separate; spring leaves moving rapidlypast one another, andrthus the energy-of vibration of the shaft whichcauses the springs to flex is dissipated. in: the form of.

heat. In this manner the; building up of torsional vibrations to an undesirable extent is effectively prevented.

Having thus describedthe, invention, what is claimedas new and desireditoibe secured'zby Letters Patent is:

1. In a vibration damper for. shafts ofsjthe type,

employing an inertia. element capable. of dis-'- placementwith respectto the. shaft in; response to shaftvibration; the combination withan arm on .the shaft, of a leaf springassembly secured to said arm 7 with the ends. of the assembly free. to move, in-response toshaft vibrations; andlconstituting the. sole, inertia,- elementof thedamper.

2. In.a;vibratiorr..damper. for shaftssof the type employing. inentiameanscapable of displacement withrespect to the shaft in response to-shaft -vibrations, the combination with supporting means on the shaft, of a plurality of leaf spring assemblies carried by said supporting means with the ends of the assemblies free to move in response to shaft vibrations, said leaf spring assemblies constituting the sole inertia means of the damper.

3. Means for neutralizing centrifugal force and. torsional vibration in a crankshaft comprising a counterweight rigidly carried by said shaft, and a leaf spring assembly secured intermediate the ends thereof to said counterweight with the ends free to flex in response to shaft vibrations.

4. In a vibration damper for shafts, the combination-with an arm on the shaft, of a leaf springassembly having the central portion thereof secured to the armand the end portions thereof; disposed on either side of the arm and directed inwardly toward the shaft.

5-. In a vibration'damper for shafts, a bracket secured to: the shaft and inertia means carried by said bracket and consisting of a leaf spring assembly' having a free unloaded vibrating portion.

6'. In a vibration damper for shafts, a leaf spring device having one portion thereof connected to the shaft and having a free unloaded end portion vibrating in response to shaft vibrations.

'7. In a vibration damper for shafts, a leaf spring device having a centrally disposed portion connected to the shaft and free unloaded end portions movable in responserto shaftvibrations.

8. Ina vibration damper for shafts, aninertia member consisting wholly of a resilient metallic I 9 A vibration damper for shafts consistingwholly of a flexible inertia metallic member developing internal friction when flexed and means for connecting said inertia member to the shaft for rotation therewith and for flexing movement with. respect thereto in response to shaft vibrations.

10. In apparatus for damping vibrations, the combination with a shaft, of a counterbalancing mass rigidly secured to said shaft, and a resilient flexible inertia member carried by said mass for flexure when the shaft is rotated.

11. Means for damping vibrations in a shaft comprising an arm rigidly secured to the shaft, a bracket surrounding the end of the arm and secured thereto, and a leaf spring assembly clamped between said bracket and said arm for fiexure when the shaft is rotated.

12.'A. vibration damper for shafts consisting wholly of a flexible metallic inertia member secured to the shaft.

13. A vibration damper for shafts consisting wholly of a leaf spring assembly secured to the shaft.

14. A vibration damper for shafts consisting wholly of a flexible metallic inertia member having one portion thereof secured to the shaft and the remainder thereof free to vibrate in response to shaft vibrations.

15. A; vibration damper for shafts consisting wholly of aflexible metallic inertia member. de-

veloping internal friction when flexed and having. I 

